Altesse
At a Glance
- Variety: Altesse
- Size: 0.17 ha (0.42 ac)
- Terroir: From Montagnieu, Bugey. Southwest facing, strong limestone bedrock.
- Viticulture: Purchased grapes, organic (not certified). 53 hl/ha.
- Vinification: Pressed in a pneumatic press and settled for 12 hours. 60-day ambient yeast fermentation and maceration in 228 L and 500 L used barrels with no added SO2. Full malolactic conversion. Aged 12 months in used barrels and another 3 months in tank. No fining, no filtration. Minimal SO2 added when racked to tank and possibly before bottling.
Additional Info
Seiichi first visited the Bugey with his friend Nathalie Tollot (Domaine Tollot-Beaut). He remained friends with the growers at the domaine they visited and, in 2016, when Burgundy suffered such bad frost that there was no Chardonnay to purchase, Seiichi asked if he could purchase some Altesse. He makes the wine in the Bugey. It is not just any Altesse. It comes from the little-known appellation of Montagnieu, a very steep terroir that is exceptional.